What is the Center for plain language?
The Center for Plain Language is a federally tax-exempt non-profit membership organization made up of people in government, academia, and business who are dedicated to promoting and supporting plain language in the public and private sectors.
What are the five principles of plain language?
Crafting Your Message with Plain Language proofread another student’s work, or your own, with a focus on the five principles of plain language: active voice, common words, positive tone, reader focus, and short (concise) words and sentences.
What is the plain language?
Plain language (also called plain writing or plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Language that is plain to one set of readers may not be plain to others.
How do you write in plain language?
Top 10 Principles for Plain Language
- Write for your reader, not yourself.
- Use pronouns when you can.
- State your major point(s) first before going into details.
- Stick to your topic.
- Limit each paragraph to one idea and keep it short.
- Write in active voice.
- Use short sentences as much as possible.
- Use everyday words.
Who is required to use plain language?
Use plain language in any document that: is necessary for obtaining any federal government benefit or service or filing taxes. provides information about an federal government benefit or service, or. explains to the public how to comply with a requirement that the federal government administers or enforces.
What is a plain language summary?
What is a plain language summary? A Plain Language Summary is an incredibly effective science communication tool that allows researchers to reach a wider audience by summarizing their work in terms that are accessible to people outside of a specific scientific circle.
Why do we use plain language in writing a report?
Plain language means readers understand your documents more quickly. Readers call less often for explanations. They make fewer errors filling out forms. They comply more accurately and quickly with requirements.
What is a plain style in writing?
Plain style is reader-friendly because it’s clear, concise, and precise; it uses short, action-driven sentences free of jargon to make language accessible and easy to understand.
When should you use plain language?
Plain language is good customer service and makes life easier for the public. Plain language means readers understand your documents more quickly. Readers call less often for explanations. They make fewer errors filling out forms.
When Must agencies use plain language in documents?
By October 13, 2011, agencies must: Use plain language in any document that: is necessary for obtaining any federal government benefit or service or filing taxes. provides information about an federal government benefit or service, or.
How do you write a plain summary?
Tips for plain language summaries
- Download a PDF of tips, tools, and examples for writing a great Plain Language Summary.
- First, think about your audience (e.g. journalists, science-interested public).
- Get rid of jargon.
- Explain what the study is about, what you found, and why it matters/what the impact is.
How do you write a good lay summary?
Here are some pointers on how to write a useful lay summary:
- Predict and cover the “so what?” factor – justify your research.
- Give some background and context to the research.
- Follow a logical order.
- Explain the impact of the work – what is going to change (especially in relation to wider society)?
How does the design of plain language work?
The language works when readers understand the words and grasp the intended message quickly and confidently. The design works when users notice and use the signposts to move through the information efficiently. Were audience needs, such as top tasks, prioritized based on user research?
When is a communication written in plain language?
A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that the intended readers can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information. Our five-step checklist will guide you through the plain language process and help you develop content that’s right for your organization.
Why does the federal government use plain language?
As the government’s official plain language site instructs, “Focus on what users want to know.” But most Coronavirus pages give prominence and far too much space to agency achievements. As a result, our judges had to struggle to find information, services and benefits relevant to the public.
What are the grades on the Federal Plain Language Report Card?
This year we evaluated 20 Executive Branch agencies, including all 15 cabinet-level departments. Agencies earned grades between A and F for both organizational compliance, covering the staffing, training, and annual reporting required by law, and writing, focusing on how easy it is to find, understand, and use information the public needs.
https://www.youtube.com/c/CenterforplainlanguageOrg